Combination crane and bulldozer



1953 E. A. BRUGGER COMBINATION CRANE AND BULLDQZER Filed Aug. 19, 1946 2Sheets-Sheet l INVEYNTOR 6Q. 47

I m/ BY ATTORNEYS Aug. 4, 1953 A. BRUGGER COMBINATION CRANE ANDBULLDOZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1946 INVENTOR 6%, 1W WMATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 4, 1953 COMBINATION CRANE Am) BULLpoz R 1 ErvinA. Brugger, Newton, Iowa, assignor to Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Wis,a corporation Application August 19, 1946, Serial N 0. 691,445

The object of my present invention has been to produce a combinationmachine, including power crane and bulldozer features, utilizing thecommon type of dragline or clamshell crane construction, in conjunctionwith mounting means On'the crane for supporting a bulldozing blade orattachment.

A main advantage achieved by the invention lies in the fact thataccording to my construction I obtain a, combined machine useful foroperation for ordinary crane purposes, and one in which the travelingcrane body is equipped with a bull-j dozing blade, so that the crane maybe used for operation ofthe latter, thus doing away with the necessity,when bulldozing operations are desired, of employing a separablebulldozing machine as known in the art.

In the carrying out of my invention I utilize the regular travelingcrane body unit with its bucket supporting boom and the other customaryinstrumentalities involving primarily the cable operating means for adrag bucket or a clam shell bucket, the body unit having attachedthereto as an attachment, which may be displaced or retained permanentlyon the body unit, the bulldozing blade feature. I further utilize thecable operating means for the crane for supporting and adjusting thebulldozing blade when the crane is being used for bulldozing operations,thus eliminating the necessity, in this connection, of using separateand independent adjusting in"- strumentalities. I furthermore makeprovision for the supporting of the bulldozing blade independently ofthe cable operating means of the crane, something which is desirableunder certain conditions of use of the combined machine, especially whenthe crane, for instance, is being used for dragline bucket operation,and the bulldozing blade is desired to be employed, while the draglinebucket is in place, to run up to the bank and push the surplus dirt ormaterial back into the pit for enabling the bucket to take'the nextbite, including such pushed back material.

According to my invention the bulldozingblade is mounted so that it maybe adjusted to different positions, including a position parallel withthe transverse axis of the crane for straight dirtpushing work, and alsoadjusted to positions at either of opposite angles to such transverseaxis to operate as an angledozerfor grading roads or the like. v

It will be apparent that many owners that use cranes around their yardsto unload cars have occasion quite frequently to use a regular bulldozermachine for 'other purposes, such as to Claims.- (01. 37-116) 2 rade theroads around the yard, so that by the employment of my] invention thecombination machine may be employed for the usual purposes of the crane,as well as the usual purposes of a bulldozer, thus saving the owner thenecessity of purchasing a separate bulldozing machine, aunit which isrelatively costly, because in addition to the bulldozing blade feature,it comprises a regular traction machineusually of the crawler type withincluded powerplant. v

A preferred employment of ,my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of acommon conventional type Of, dragline crane, showing my bulldozingattachment applied thereto with the operating cables of the craneconnected to the bulldozer attachment forsu'pporting and adjusting theblade of the latter. Figure 2 is an enlarged view'bringing out moreclearly the mounting means for the bulldozing blade upon the side framesof the crawlers of the crane.

Figure 3 is a, vertical section taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.3 Figure 4 is a vertical section taken about on the line 4-4 of Figure 2more fully showing the universal joint feature, connecting the blade andone of the supporting arms. g V

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken about on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. vI

,Figure 6 is a largely diagrammatic view, showing the bulldozerattachmentin full lines and its general arrangement, or mounting inrelationto the traveling base of the crane, the latter shown in dottedlines.. V v

Figure -7 -is.a perspectiveview somewhat diagrammatic in illustratingthebody of the crane, which is shown in dotted lines and disclosingprimarily the-operating drums of the crane and their connections throughthecrane cables, to the bulldozer blade supporting arms.

1 Describing my combination machine invention inldetail and referring toFigures 1 and 7, the crane illustratedis a known form of dragline cranesuch as manufactured today and includes as the main features" thereofthe swing or rotating body I supported upon a crawler base whichincludes the crawler frames'Z, the endless crawler belts 3 usuallymadeup of sectionally connected shoes not shown, and the boom 23. Thiscrane as seen in Figure 7 has operating mechanism on the crane ,body Iincluding th'e'hoist' drum l-for'operating thehoisteable 5 'of adragline bucket and the drag cable drum 6 for operating the drag ca ble1 of such a bucket.

The said cables 5 and I may be disconnected from the bucket when desiredto use the crane for bulldozing purposes, and attached to my bulldozingattachment, which includes a construction comprising the usualbulldozing blade 8. The blade 8 is connected at its opposite ends byspaced side arms 9 with-the front end portions. of the. crawler frames2. The connection of the arms 9 with the frames 2 as seen in Figure 2may be detachable and includes trunnions l0 projecting outwardly fromthe frames 2 andpassingthrough bearing members H at the rear.e.nds,-.O fthearms. 9, the arms 9 being preventodfrom displacement; normally by anysuitable means, such as large cotter pins 12.

The arms 9 include further adjustableorex tensible sections 13 adaptedto be heldximposition by cross bolts 14 tomaintain the members 9 and 13at fixed adjustments.

Near their front ends, the arms Qjareequipped with loops 15, theloopofjone arm. being, connectable with the cable 5. and the loop ofjth'e other arm .connectable withthe, cable {"as seen in Figure 7 At itsfront end the arm section.l.3' is,equipped' with a universalijoint unit,lfiiinterconnecting, each member l3- witha. boltmember II that. passesthrough the blade 8;.

For the purpose of .using my. bulldozer, attachment as seen in, Figure 1to, create my combination bulldozer and crane machine, it is onlynecessary to modify the construction of the crane by addingthereto,..two sheave blocks. l8,

and IS, the. sheave of theblock, IBJhaVi-ngthecable. I trainedthereover,andthe sheave .of' the block l9: having the cable,5..trained..thereover.

By the use of the cable. drums..4, and Band their customaryoperatingmechanism, the cables 5 and 1 may be simultaneously actuatedito. raiseand lower the blade: 8 to proper working .or nonworking elevations.Actuation of one of. the drums 4 or 6 to cause a winding of onset thecables 5 or I thereon, may,be...efi'ected to. cause transverse tiltingof-the bulldozer 8 on the..piv otsl'l, to-permituse of the machine forsloping bulldozing operation..

If desired the blade 8,..maybe. equippedwith acentral loop. 2|", seeFigure l, andjFigure '7' and thus supported by a single cabl or, part ss-. pended from the boom 23,,

The longitudinal relative. adjustment. of. each. arm 9. and its.section, lilfwill be. ayailedon, of

course, when one arm. is desiredjto be lengthened for angular adjustmentofthe blade-B tter angledozing purposes involving pushi-ng=-of-the dirttoward one side of the crane when -the latter-"is operated forforwardmovement. The-universal joint unit I 5 provides forthe necessarymovement of the blade 8 relatively to the arms9'---l3 t'o= obtain all ofthe-various adjustments-reoui-redfor operating purposes of-the blade.Byoperate ingthe drums 4 and" 6s independently? aiter--- removal ofitheboltsstl-l, a selectedzendaof thexbjulldozer: Gamay bemovedlorwardrelatively: tothe. other end: to change, therangleuof disposition'ofithe blade; 8; so that. it is: disposed: at an.ang-le with anend-:advancedin, either; directiorrgelative to theitransverse.axisstof-the crane, for angledozing purposes,

ItlW'ill beapnarent-irorrr-theforegoing: that-(myinvention enables theuse: of an ordinary. crane asa bulldozer by, merelymounting,the-bulldozing. blade on the crane; and. thus, dispensingwiththe.

separate traction unit ordinarily employed to operate bulldozing blades.

The blade 8 is braced in its connections to the arms 9 by means oftelescopic adjustable braces 22.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1; In combination, on excavating. crane including a traveling crane bodytraction base, a bucket supporting boom, a bulldozing attachment,including a pair of relatively movable arms andmeans'for supporting ablade at the outer endsiof said arms for pivotal transversemovemennrelatiyethedztaction base, and independent cables carried by-theboom adapted for operatanexcavating bucket that may be carried by theboom, one of said cables being connected withithe. attachment near oneend of the blade, and another of said cables being connected with theattachment, near: the other end of. the. blade, together with means foroperating. said inde Pendent cables.

2.. In. combination, an excavating craneine eluding atravelingcrane bodytraction base, a bucketv supporting boom, a bulldozing attach-- mentincluding a pair of relatively movable arms. andmeans forv supporting ablade, at the outer ends of said arms for pivotaltransverse.movementrelative the traction base, and independent cables carried by the boomadapted for operating an excavating bucket that may be carried by theboom, one of said cables-being connectedwith the attachment near. oneend of. the. blade, and another of said-cables being connected with-theattachment neartheother end of. the blade, together with means foroperating said independent cables, saidcables being trained from theforward part of the boom rearwardlyto points. of. connection with theattachment, and said cables.

leading downwardly from. the boom. to the attachment.

3. In..combi-nation, an excavating crane includinga traveling-crane bodytraction base, a

crane body and a bucket supporting boom on the body, and. a bulldozingattachment including a blademounted at the frontend-of the crane on andin. advance of the, traction base, and independent cablemeans carried bythe boom adapted for-actuation of an excavating bucket that mayandsupporting the attachment, and operating membersfor the-cable meansseparately operable to. raiseand lower either-end of the blade and,

supported on the crane-body,

4" In combination; an excavating cranein-- cludinga traveling cranebody,a traction'base, and a bucket supporting boom, and a bulldozingattachment including a. blade mounted at the front end of 'thecrane onandinadvance of thetractionbase and independent cables adapted foroperating-an excavatingbucket that may be carried by the boom, supportedon the boom and having separateoperating connections with the attachmentlocated adjacent to. opposite ends of the: blade, and drums on the cranebody, one for each of said cables, operable to raise or lower the-end ofthe blade adjacent to which its cable isattached, said cables supportingthe attachment at its front portion.

5.. The combination claimed. in claim 4, in which the cables are trainedfrom a forward portionof. the boom rearwardly toward their points or.connectionwith the attachment; combined" References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Holcomb et a1 Sept.23, 1924 Burke Feb. 9, 1926 Sword Apr. 29, 1941 Burgess July 17, 1917 10Number 6 Name Date Lawler Mar. 3, 1942 Mosher Nov. 10, 1942 Maxwell Oct.30, 1945 Schmacht July 30, 1946 Erd-ahl Aug. 3, 1948 Swanson Apr. 4,1950 OTHER REFERENCES Bucyrus Erie Loadmaster Bulletin L-11, pages 12and 13. Published by Bucyrus Erie (70.,

South Milwaukee, Wis.

Copy received November 7,1938.

